flowering herb
Prominent Constituents Reported in the Scientific Literature:
Volatile oils, bitter principle, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids.3
Supports the Immune System*
One of the volatile oils in Oregano, carvacrol, is also found in Thyme, another member of the Lamiaceae (mint family).3
The botanical name of Origanum comes from the Greek oros and ganos, meaning mountain and joy; the feeling it would give to see the plant growing on the mountainside.5 The multiple flowers bloom throughout the summer.5
Oregano is also used extensively as an essential oil in the aromatherapy industry.1 The flowering tops have traditionally been used as a dye; purple on wool and reddish-brown on linen.5
This plant is heavily used in the food industry as one of the most prevalent culinary herbs.3,5 It is often confused with another culinary herb, marjoram (Origanum majorana), as they are related and very similar in appearance.1 Before hops were introduced in beer making, Oregano was a sought-after ingredient because of its preservation abilities and aromatics.5